Paralegal Specialist

If you're passionate about being part of a diverse organization that enables a Fortune 100 company to deliver innovative business solutions with excellence, then Nationwide's Legal team could be the place for you!

insurance defense preferred.

Job Description Summary

Would you thrive in an environment where you can deliver top-quality legal services to support the mission of a Fortune 100 insurance company to protect people, businesses and futures with extraordinary care? If you enjoy having a diverse workload, are adaptable, technologically skilled, possess strong collaboration skills and bring a team-oriented approach needed for success in a civil litigation environment, our team may be the place for you!

Nationwide Trial Division is a national team with approximately 40 offices through six regions across the United States. Our Paralegal Specialists have experience in a law firm setting, require moderate to low guidance and oversight, have an extensive working knowledge of property and casualty insurance defense and/or subrogation law, as well as legal concepts, terminology, and processes. As a Paralegal Specialist, you’ll provide pre-trial and trial support to a team of legal professionals representing clients under both commercial and personal lines insurance policies. You’ll support legal teams with a highly productive case volume that reflects our collective commitment to innovative thinking, effective collaboration, embracing technology, and a highly organized approach to case management.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

• Provides the highest level of pre-trial and trial support for complex litigated matters. Assists in the preparation, review, filing, and service of complex motions, pleadings, discovery and subpoenas, including dispositive motions. Reviews and prepares documents for document production requests. Analyzes and responds to incoming discovery. Reviews and analyzes medical records. Independently conducts legal research and writing assignments, which may include the preparation of extensive medical chronologies, deposition outlines, and deposition summaries of fact and expert witnesses. Takes initiative to move case files to trial/resolution. Works autonomously, with little to no supervision.

• Coordinates and schedules depositions, hearings, and meetings, communicates with clients and expert witnesses.

• Provides administrative support to trial team(s) including the retrieval of information from our document management system, and the assembly of exhibits, binders, and appendices for depositions, court filings, hearings, and trial. Maintains working knowledge of court procedures and local rules. Reviews court dockets and retrieves case information. Prepares case file and discovery impact reports.

• Understands and maintains confidentiality in respect to the attorney-client privilege/relationship, trial strategies, Ethics rules, the identities of the plaintiff, defense clients and claims’ customers.

• Has superior knowledge of each file assigned to trial team(s) and is capable of independently understanding the relevancy of case information as it pertains to assisting in the preparation for depositions, hearings, pre-trial conferences and trial.

• Brings a well-developed sense of organization to coordinate workflow, support the overall litigation strategy.

• Mentors and trains less experienced Paralegals and Legal Assistant on organizational policies and processes and assists Managing Attorney with onboarding new members of the trial team(s). Assists Managing Attorney with the coordination of workflow of support staff. Works on special projects as needed. Assists Managing Attorney with the implementation of new processes and new technology and acts as a champion of efficiency, modernization, and change.

May performs other responsibilities as assigned.

Reporting Relationships: Reports to Managing Attorney

Typical Skills and Experiences:

Education: Undergraduate studies in business administration, insurance or other related areas is required.

License/Certification/Designation: Certification in paralegal studies strongly preferred or developed paralegal experience.

Experience: Typically, eight years’ experience in a paralegal capacity with proven performance.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills: Has general knowledge of law office operations, practices and procedures. Experience in filing and scheduling procedures of the various courts, as well as how to use federal and state e-filing and e-Court systems, Microsoft Office Suite, case management databases, such as Legal Files is preferred. Understanding of insurance practice civil defense in state courts and agencies and understanding of both personal and commercial lines policies is preferred. Excellent verbal and written communication skills for interaction with attorneys, paralegals, court personnel, clients and claims’ staff. Strong organizational skills, detail oriented, focused, technologically savvy, adaptable to learning new systems and processes, and can prioritize and multitask. Exercise independent initiative and judgment in daily tasks. Ability to design and maintain filing and tickler follow-up systems. Ability to acquire skills and/or knowledge necessary to research information and determine the applicability of legal action. Must also acknowledge and comply with all corporate and NTD policies and procedures. Complies with the private practice of law policy and the ethical rules of the state where the position is located.

Other criteria, including leadership skills, competencies and experiences may take precedence.

Staffing exceptions to the above must be approved by the hiring manager’s leader and HR Business Partner.

Values: Regularly and consistently demonstrates the Nationwide values.

Job Conditions:

Overtime Eligibility: Eligible (nonexempt)

Working Conditions: Professional law office environment, business casual dress, with some work from home possible. Occasional travel. Occasional overtime.

ADA: The above statements cover what are generally believed to be principal and essential functions of this job. Specific circumstances may allow or require some people assigned to the job to perform a somewhat different combination of duties.

Credit/Background Check: Due to the fiduciary accountabilities of this job, a valid credit check and/or background which will be required as part of the selection process.

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